Luxury vs. Budget: Choosing the Right Tented Camp for Your Kenyan Safari
A safari in Kenya is a dream for many travellers. When you plan one, a key decision is the kind of tented camp you stay in. Luxury and budget camps both put you close to the wildlife, but they offer very different trips. Here is how to choose.
Luxury tented camps
Luxury tented camps blend comfort with the raw beauty of the African wilderness.
- Accommodation: spacious canvas tents with good bedding, en-suite bathrooms with hot showers and private verandahs.
- Dining: menus built around fresh local ingredients, and dinners under the African sky.
- Safari experiences: game drives with expert guides, often in smaller groups, with extras such as bush walks and hot-air balloon flights.
- Service: more personal attention, and more done for you.
Budget tented camps
For travellers who want an authentic safari without the high price, budget tented camps are a good alternative.
At Drunken Elephant Mara
Stay and do this at the camp
20 rooms under canvas in natural forest, about two kilometres from Sekenani Gate.
Stay · Sleeps 2
Double Tent
An elevated canvas tent for two, with its own verandah and en-suite bathroom.
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Safari · 3 nights / 4 days
Maasai Mara — 3 Nights
Two full days in the Mara by road from Nairobi, with a visit to a nearby Maasai village.
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Experience
Game drives
Morning, afternoon and full-day drives into the Maasai Mara in search of the big five.
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Experience
Bush dinner & Maasai dance
Dinner under the stars, with a performance of traditional Maasai dance.
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- Accommodation: simpler tents with basic furnishings, comfortable after a day out, with a rustic charm.
- Dining: hearty meals, often buffet style, with local and international dishes.
- Safari activities: shared game drives with knowledgeable guides, a little more structured but still excellent for wildlife.
- Value: money saved on the room can go on extra game drives or cultural visits.
How do I choose between luxury and budget?
Weigh your budget against the comfort you want, and decide what matters most: the room, the food, or more time in the reserve. Either way, Kenya’s wilderness leaves its mark wherever you lay your head.
At Drunken Elephant Mara you get proper beds, en-suite bathrooms with hot water and private verandahs in a small, owner-run camp near Sekenani Gate. See the tents and ask us for a quote for your dates.
Questions and answers
How do I choose between luxury and budget?
Weigh your budget against the comfort you want, and decide what matters most: the room, the food, or more time in the reserve. Either way, Kenya’s wilderness leaves its mark wherever you lay your head. At Drunken Elephant Mara you get proper beds, en-suite bathrooms with hot water and private verandahs in a small, owner-run camp near Sekenani Gate. See the tents and ask us for a quote for your dates.
Where is Drunken Elephant Mara?
Drunken Elephant Mara is a small tented safari camp at Sekenani in Narok County, Kenya. It sits in natural forest about two kilometres from Sekenani Gate, the main eastern entrance to the Maasai Mara National Reserve, so morning game drives reach the park within minutes.